Career highlights: 1st, 2016 Sarasota CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships, 2015 Detroit ITU World Paratriathlon Event, USA Paratriathlon National Championships (2014, 2013); 2nd, 2015 Edmonton ITU World Paratriathlon Event, Monterrey CAMTRI Triathlon American Championships; 2012 Paralympian, track and field

As a track and field athlete, Hammer averaged 70-plus miles weekly. But the volume took its toll. While Hammer wanted a break from being a runner, he didn’t want to give up being an athlete. As a result, he got his start in triathlon in 2013. Now training with a local triathlon team, Hammer is pushed to his limits by fellow elites and age-groupers. Hammer realized there is always going to be someone faster. So he chooses to measure his success based on his own improvements. This attitude has landed him a coveted position on the first-ever U.S. Paralympic Triathlon Team. As a runner at the London Games, Hammer now has experience on his side and is poised to continue his success in Brazil despite any hardships that come along the way. “The only way to really experience what life has to offer is to take chances and put yourself out there — out of your comfort zone where there is risk of failure,” Hammer says.